The Seven-Tails, known as Chōmei, was one of the nine fragments of chakra split from the Ten-Tails by Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo in ancient times. A colossal beetle with six wings and a tail, its sealed form before Kazuyama was noticeably smaller, a clear result of its confinement.
Kazuyama stared at the enormous Tailed Beast, its sheer presence overwhelming despite the seal. The oppressive aura reminded him just how insignificant a lone ninja like himself was in comparison.
Thanks to the unique properties of his Transparent Escape, he could stand directly before Chōmei without being noticed. Steeling himself with a deep breath, Kazuyama prepared for the next and most difficult step—communicating with the beast.
Bridging the gap between humans and Tailed Beasts was no small feat. Their mutual distrust ran deep, rooted in centuries of conflict and betrayal. Yet, it was a task Kazuyama could not avoid.
"Hey, Seven-Tails, how are you?" he began awkwardly, the words tumbling out unpolished. He had no idea how to properly approach the situation, so he decided to be direct.
His casual greeting startled Chōmei. The giant beast trembled, sending ripples of unease to the ninjas maintaining the sealing array outside. Alarmed by the movement, they frantically channeled chakra into the formation, desperate to keep the Tailed Beast contained.
"Don't move! Wait—oh, right, you can't see me." Kazuyama suddenly realized his invisibility was still active and quickly dispelled it. His form shimmered into view, revealing a 14-year-old boy standing confidently before the Seven-Tails, his expression free of fear.
Chōmei's massive frame shook again, this time with more intensity, but it remained silent. Kazuyama frowned, considering the possibility that the seal was preventing the beast from speaking.
"You can't talk, can you?" he asked. "Can you communicate with your thoughts instead?"
He paused, then continued, "Oh, and I shouldn't call you Seven-Tails. That's not right. I'll call you Chōmei instead."
The mention of its true name brought Chōmei to a sudden halt. Its enormous body stiffened in shock. No one had called it by that name in what felt like an eternity. How did this young human even know it?
Looking at the suddenly motionless Chōmei, Kazuyama Gekkō smiled slightly.
He understood that Chōmei must be shocked at this point, and it was up to him, Kazuyama Gekkō, to take the next step.
With a silver tongue sharp enough to charm the dead back to life, he was determined to persuade the massive being before him. To the pinnacle of life!
Kazuyama strode forward, placing a hand on Chōmei.
In the next moment, the scene around him shifted dramatically.
A colossal insect soared through the sky before suddenly plunging toward the ground. Kazuyama Gekkō now stood atop a mountain.
Huo, is this the inner world of Chōmei?
The feeling of longing for freedom and the desire to fly filled the atmosphere.
"Human, who are you? How do you know my name? Tell me!"
A deep, rumbling voice echoed through the air. Kazuyama looked up at the Seven-Tails, whose immense form disappeared into the clouds. A fleeting envy glimmered in his eyes.
"Heh, not only do I know your name, but I also know the names of all nine of you Tailed Beasts."
"Impossible! It's already baffling that you know my name. How could you possibly know the names of the other eight Tailed Beasts? No one knows that except him!"
Chōmei's voice carried a note of scorn. But as he observed the human standing before him, he noticed something unusual. The boy showed no trace of fear, even in his presence. Instead, there was an unwavering confidence in his gaze.
Then the boy spoke again:
"One-Tails, Shukaku.
Two-Tails, Matatabi.
Three-Tails, Isobu.
Four-Tails, Son Gokū.
Five-Tails, Kokuō.
Six-Tails, Saiken.
Seven-Tails, that is you, Chōmei.
Eight-Tails, Gyūki.
Nine-Tails, Kurama."
"Am I right, Chōmei?"
Chōmei froze, his massive insect body hovering before the boy.
Kazuyama could faintly sense a slight tremor rippling through Chōmei's form.
"I don't want to hurt you. Actually, I want to be your friend."
"Who says that Tailed Beasts and humans can't live in peace? You can fly, and I long to fly."
"You seem to me to be my most important friend."
Chōmei was silent for a long time, his gaze locked on Kazuyama Gekkō's eyes. He scrutinized the boy, searching for even the faintest trace of hostility or greed.
But there was none. What he saw instead was excitement—and an unfamiliar longing.
"Which ninja village are you from?"
"Konoha."
"Haha, the village where Kurama is? With Kurama there, why did you come looking for me? He is far stronger than I am."
Chōmei spoke with disdain, his words carrying a bitter truth. Among the Nine Tailed Beasts, his strength was often overshadowed, especially by the formidable Nine-Tails. His only true advantage was his ability to fly.
Kazuyama didn't flinch. "So what? The Nine-Tails is strong, but I don't like him."
"I want to be able to fly. Can he?"
The boy's outright dismissal of Kurama startled Chōmei. Humans had always sought the Tailed Beasts for their power, often sealing them away with Fūinjutsu to use them as weapons. Yet this boy seemed different, uninterested in the typical path of conquest.
"Hey, Chōmei, if I become your Jinchūriki, will I be able to fly too?"
The word Jinchūriki set Chōmei on edge. So this boy wanted his power after all!
"Hmph! Brat, you still want to obtain my power!"
"I won't let you get away with it!"
Kazuyama ignored Chōmei's anger, his tone unwavering.
"Chōmei, I want to fly. Can I be your Jinchūriki?"
"Don't worry, I won't bother you when there's nothing going on."
"My name is Kazuyama Gekkō. I can become invisible and teleport. I just need to learn how to fly. So can you grant me this wish?"
Chōmei stared at him, dumbfounded. This was the inner world, a place where he could peer into the boy's innermost thoughts if he chose to.
And what he saw was... baffling.
Invisibility = peeping...
Teleportation = stealing...
Flying = even more convenient?
I, the mighty Seven-Tails Chōmei, exist for convenience?
As Chōmei delved deeper, he stumbled upon more puzzling fragments of Kazuyama's thoughts.
Huh? Big boobs? Big butt? Superficial!
What's so fascinating about human women?
Wait... is that... a bug?
Chōmei's attention shifted to images of insects—beautiful, intricate, fascinating bugs.
Wow, is there really a tribe like this in Konoha?
Chōmei froze, drool pooling at the edge of his mandibles. Suddenly, everything made sense.
Combat effectiveness? Who cares?
He was at the bottom of the Tailed Beasts anyway, and this kid didn't seem the least bit interested in war or violence.
If this boy became his Jinchūriki, it might actually be better than being stuck in a cave.
So many tasty bugs...
Chōmei, struck by an unexpected epiphany, suddenly felt his resolve begin to shift.